


Devil Beside Me

by jessunnie



Category: Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Angel/Demon Relationship, Be Careful What You Wish For, Demon/Human Relationships, Demons, Fluff and Humor, Getting to Know Each Other, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-24
Updated: 2018-12-16
Packaged: 2019-05-13 09:23:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 18,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14746148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jessunnie/pseuds/jessunnie
Summary: Jihoon is having the worst day ever. He looks up and say, “Please, please, please, someone...anyone, help me...”, and one minute later a guy with little horns pops up out of nowhere and goes, “Man, you wouldn’t believe how fast angels are. Like, damn... I am actually feeling the tiniest bit exhausted... wow!”. Apparently the Devil’s son heard his request and had to fight several angels just to arrive first and be his help “guardian” because “You’re kind of cute.”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This idea came from a prompt and is loosely inspired by Bedazzled. I love that movie. My first attempt at fluff/humor. God help me.

 

 

 

It was a sunny day, the weather was warm and cozy and absolutely perfect for outdoor activities. The birds chirped on his windowsill, the sunlight rays illuminated his face and the day invited him to wake up.

 

God, that felt nice. Jihoon snuggled into his blankets, a small happy sigh coming out of his mouth. There was nothing like those five extra minutes of sleep on a weekend – just five minutes where he doesn’t have to worry about being on time, classes, studying or any extra activities. He could just enjoy the comfort of his soft bed.

 

Not really what anyone would expect when describing the worst day of his life, but soon Jihoon would notice some ominous signs warning him of his soon to be had horrible day.

 

Opening his eyes slowly, his eyesight adapted to the brightness of the room. He grabbed his cellphone under the pillow to check the time.

 

The first telling sign? It wasn’t the weekend.

 

Second, he was late.

 

 _Shit!_ Jihoon gasped. _THE FINAL EXAM_!

 

Sitting up abruptly, eyes wide, he gave his face some mild slaps to help him keep the sleepiness at bay. He then promptly tried to get out of the bed, but his foot got stuck in the linens, making him fall face flat on the ground with a dull thump.

 

Ok, maybe he’d just gotten out of bed on the wrong side, today.

 

Jihoon got up with a groan, sprinting towards the bathroom and taking somewhat clean and comfortable black sweat pants, a white plain t-shirt and a gray hoodie to change into on his way there. Brushing his teeth and taming his crazy bed hair at top speed, he realized that a bath would probably have to wait till he got back.

 

How could he not hear the alarm? He blamed his silly need to go through every single unit till the wee hours of the morning, studying the exam’s material until fatigue forced him to succumb once and for all to sleep.

 

_Well, never again!_

 

What a lie. He knew he would do it again as soon as the next test came up.

 

Going down the stairs in a hurry to get out of the house quickly, he tripped on the last step sending his backpack flying to the floor. _Ugh!_ Shaking his head in frustration, he noticed the house was completely silent. No sign of his parents. They must have left for work already. The kitchen was spotless with not a snack in sight for him to munch on as he made his way to school.

 

 _So no time for food too?_ Ok, he could live with that. He closed his house’s door hastily and started strutting at a fast pace to the bus stop. From where he stood he was able to see the bus taking a right turn down the block, without him in it.

 

_Is this day for real?_

 

As if on cue, his stomach growled loudly protesting against the lack of breakfast. He didn’t like foregoing any meals, especially breakfast cause his mom used to say it was the most important meal of the day. Was there time for some quick coffee? He has like 20 minutes left, right? If he got on his bike, maybe he could still get there on time. This was playing with fire, but his stomach grumbled again and he was not in the mood to get it upset.

 

An upset stomach was an upset Jihoon. Nobody wanted that on an exam day or – ever.

 

He ran back to the backyard to get his bike, feet pushing against the pedals as hard as he could, praying that time would stay on his side so he could get to the coffee shop quickly. Dropping the bike by the door, he went straight to the balcony, where his friend Jisung worked as a barista. His friend was smiling while taking the order of an older lady who appeared to be having trouble with the many different types of coffee and fancy drink names on the board. As the minutes passed, Jihoon started tapping his foot on the floor impatient until she finally requested a caramel macchiato, recommended by Jisung. _Thank you, Lord!_

 

“Hey, Jihoon? What is going to be today? The usual americano?” the barista said cleaning the already spotless balcony and then fixing his black apron, a friendly smile on his face.

 

“Yes, and make it fast, I’m super late. I have a big exam now.” he told the other nodding, money already in his outstretched hands as he anxiously waited for the barista to take it.

 

“Oh, ok... I’m on it!” Jisung took the cash and rang the order through the system, swiftly moving to make the americano at light speed. “Here! I think I just set a new record. Now go!” He motioned with his hands for him to leave.

 

Jihoon didn’t need to be told twice.

 

He did however, spill quite a bit of the coffee on his clothes while rushing down to get back to his bike. Still, he just shrugged it off and downed the drink in almost one go. He was in a hurry, this was no time to throw a tantrum or get upset. For now, he needed to suck it up and pedal with all his might to reach the school gate in time for his exam.

 

It was so close, he looked at his watch and there was 3 minutes left. Lowering his head, he put more strength into his pedaling. There was the entrance, great! He parked his bike beside the others. On his way to the gate his backpack got stuck on a bike. Shit, shit, shit! He gave a big pull and the bike came crashing on the one beside it, that crashed on the other and the other in a huge domino effect. _WHAT THE HELL?_

 

_30 seconds._

 

Jihoon looked torn for a second between fixing the mess he has done or running to the gate, but eventually sprinted toward the entrance. No way he would let all his work be in vain. He could always apologize later for the ruckus.

 

_10…_

 

_9…_

 

_8…_

 

_7…_

 

_6…_

 

_5…_

 

_4…_

 

_3…_

 

_2…_

 

_1._

 

Jihoon was so near now, only a few steps and he would... _no no no NO!_ The gateway was closed. He banged a few times screaming for somebody to open it, even if he knew they wouldn’t. Not on the final exam day. It was the director’s strict order.

 

Throwing himself on the floor he tried to catch his breath. This day couldn’t get any worse, could it?

 

A little drop of water fell on his face. Then another. Then it was like someone just twisted a tap open because it poured all at once, dampening his hair and clothes and Jihoon felt a sudden need to cry...or scream. Instead he kneeled and closed his eyes saying in a pleading voice, “Please, please, please, someone...anyone, help me...” He wasn’t a religious person, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

 

So that’s how the bottom of the well felt like. His lowest point in life. All his academic career he had tried to reach the top spot of class, and while he wasn’t the smartest or the best in class, he sure was a hard worker that achieved good enough grades that could grant him a nice scholarship. But not anymore. This would for sure stain his flawless records.

 

The whole year he studied so he could do well today and he fucked it up by being late. And he couldn’t even make up an excuse cause there’s no one else to blame but himself. So many efforts going through the drain because of his lack of organization, overconfidence and his damn clumsiness. This has gone wrong in so many different ways that he couldn’t even pinpoint the cause of his own doom.

 

His parents would be so disappointed. And all those teachers that were cheering for him. His scumbags of friends would probably find the whole thing hilarious. He chuckled humorlessly. Jihoon didn’t have the courage to face them now. All he wanted to do was to hide from the world. He sighed.

 

When he opened his eyes he noticed the droplets had stopped, even if the rain around him kept pouring, strong and heavy. Squinting, he looked up to see a smirking redheaded boy with a cap who carried a transparent umbrella that protected Jihoon only, but he didn’t seem to be getting wet at all even if he was in the middle of the downpour. _Weird..._ “What are you doing?”

 

“Oh...I’m here to rescue you.” The redhead told him as if it was the most obvious answer in the world, getting him a one eyebrow raised in answer from Jihoon. The stranger offered him a hand to get him up, which Jihoon accepted with mild mistrust, glancing sideways. “You did just ask for help, didn’t you?”

 

“So, you are my angel?”It was more a statement than a question by an unimpressed Jihoon that tried, unsuccessfully, to clean the dirt from his pants. Then, a loud snap took him by surprise. The transparent umbrella was gone and so was the rain. Another snap of fingers and Jihoon was all dry and fresh with not a single trace of the wet mess he was just a second before.

 

“Nah, little human...”, the other boy dismissed the heavenly idea with his hand, “I had to actually beat one or two of them to get here on time for you.” He winked, lifting his bag off the ground and offering it to him. “And man, you wouldn’t believe how fast angels are. Like, damn... I am actually feeling the tiniest bit exhausted... wow!” he exhaled mockingly, chest rising and falling as if he was the one who just sprinted to get to the entrance instead of Jihoon.

 

“Wait, what?” Perplexed, Jihoon creased his brows, an unsettling feeling of puzzlement welling inside him.

 

“Well… it’s quite simple, really. I heard your call. You were kind of cute. I wanted to be here first. You do the math.” The boy shrugged, nonchalant with hands on his pockets and sparkling eyes fixated on Jihoon’s.

 

This guy, who didn’t seem any older than he was, came to him talking some nonsense, making stuff disappear and shifting the weather around them – Jihoon couldn’t help it, he was so intrigued that for a second he actually forgot that he had indeed asked for help – but that still didn’t explain this redhead boy’s presence. “So what are you then?”

 

“Oh, yes, by Satan’s name, I almost forgot to introduce myself. I’m Woojin, spawn of the devil, quite literally.” He did a small bow with a little flourish in salutation, taking his cap off revealing two little horns. “Here to help and serve.” He ended, looking mischievous.

 

“Right...nice costume. Really well made. But it’s kind of early for Halloween, don’t you think?” Jihoon touched one little horn curiously, inspecting it closely.

 

“DON’T – touch the horns! T-they are really sensitive, ok? We aren’t that intimate yet.” Woojin pulled back blushing as Jihoon chuckled amused, retracting his hand as requested. “Why are you questioning my existence? Of course, it looks well made because it is REAL. I can’t believe this...you did see the weather changing, right? I did that already?” Woojin now looked a tad upset, gesticulating emphatically in the sky’s general direction.

 

Jihoon wasn’t 100% won over about the trustworthiness of a boy who called himself the ‘spawn of the devil’ but he also wasn’t as skeptical as he was before. Talking to this guy was so entertaining – he was tempted to keep pushing the other boy’s buttons (or horns) – who knew where that would take him.

 

Besides, it’s not like he had anything better to do – other than sulk at home, anyways.

 

“Oh, I did see you shifting the cloud patterns around us sure – but you know, global warming is really affecting the planet. Climate change is crazy nowadays, man.”Jihoon said, casually looking at his nails so Woojin wouldn’t be able to tell that he’s just trying to mess with him. “So, who knows?”

 

“Tsk, this kid...What about your dry clothes? Or you didn’t feel that too?” The devil walked closer, straight into Jihoon’s personal space, but Jihoon pretended not to be bothered, even if the slight breathing on his face made his heart do a somersault for a second.

 

“You probably have a small fan inside your clothes. Plus, the wind could’ve very much helped in drying my clothes. The fabric’s synthetic, super quick to dry. It comes in handy often for a student.” Jihoon bit his cheeks to keep from laughing at Woojin’s little grunts of indignation. “Anyways, why are you so agitated? If you are a demon, you’re a demon...just prove your power. Or you just don’t have any more tricks up your sleeve?”

 

“Aish...alright, what do you want me to summon?” Woojin rolled his sleeves up, a look of deep concentration on his face. “A flower? A bunny? Chocolates?”

 

“Pfffttt… any kid’s party magician can come with that! C’mon...surprise me!” He taunted the demon, waiting expectantly for his next move.

 

“FINE! Gimme your hand. This will be fast so keep your eyes open and your mouth shut!” Jihoon just agreed with his head, giving him his hand without hesitation. Woojin closed his eyes touching his own temple with his fingers.

 

_Pop!_

 

In one instant they were in front of the school’s entrance and in the other they were behind the scenes of a photoshoot, full of equipment and several staff members, but Jihoon’s eyes could only see one thing: in the middle of the spotlight was the most perfect human being Jihoon ever had the chance of witnessing…

 

_Pop!_

 

“OH, MY GOD! Was that..?”

 

“Uhum… V from BTS. You’re welc-” Woojin wasn’t expecting the loud shriek interrupting his speech. “What was THAT?” he asked covering his ears with his hands.

 

“I’m sorry. I just can’t believe we teleported into a BTS photoshoot... and that I actually saw my idol V in flesh and blood!” Jihoon kept flapping his arms wildly with unconstrained feelings. “Oh, my GOD.” He just couldn’t be still, a large smile splattered on his face almost blinding Woojin.

 

“So I take it you believe me now...” When Jihoon turned to look at him, Woojin had a smile on his face and his eyes fixated on Jihoon’s own smile which dropped in a second once he realized Woojin was smiling straight at him. He took a more serious stance, schooling his features into a less expressive look, closing himself off.

 

“I do. But, you really want me to believe you want to help me out of the goodness of your heart? You... a demon?” he asked suspicious, crossing his arms.

 

“To be honest, I only do that for the good looking ones. You should feel honored, cutie.” Woojin told him, his confident smile never faltering as he sent Jihoon a flying kiss.

 

But Jihoon was having none of it. He couldn’t just expect someone to fix the whole mess that was this day, much less if the said someone was a devil! Or could he? “What's the catch?” Jihoon narrowed his eyes.

 

“There’s no catch! We demons are such a misunderstood race. Why are people so distrustful these days?” Woojin said looking bemused. “Ok, ok...just the regular stuff: your soul. Sorry, I really have no way around it... devil’s politics are, you know, hell. But I’m sure you won’t even miss it. Plus, you get to see me more often!” Woojin added with a wide smile, like what he offered to take in return for Jihoon’s wishes wasn’t a big deal at all. Maybe it wasn’t for him, but Jihoon thought the complete opposite. His soul was all he’s got in this forsaken life of his.

 

“Yeah...sure, if you say so.” Jihoon was totally unconvinced. There’s just no way he would give his soul to this random demon guy, no matter how adorable he was. Turning his back to him he decided to go back to his house and mourn his failed attempt to get to his exam in time. Failed attempt, failed test, failed life. He sighed. Maybe he could think of a solution on his own. He mulled over his current situation, kicking a rock on the ground till he collided with a solid chest. _Ouch!_

 

“You again? What now?” Jihoon rolled his eyes at the insistent boy. This was getting annoying.

 

“I have a proposition. Will you hear me out?” Woojin told him with bated breath, waiting for Jihoon to at least hear him out. He actually looked kind of cute insecure like that, a complete change from the cocky self he presented earlier.

 

Why couldn’t Jihoon just get on with his failure of life? But noooo...of course there had to be a captive audience there to watch him do that and the audience just happened to be an irritating eye catching demon boy that didn’t seem know the word give up. Man, he just wanted to go to his room and cry alone. Was that so hard?

 

“I won’t sell my soul for a stupid test, Woojin. Save your breath.” Jihoon was so ready to make an exit from this conversation but Woojin grabbed his shoulder making him look at him surprised at the contact. Woojin’s hand was scalding hot, but it didn’t hurt – it just left an impression where he had been touched, the sensation lingering much after Woojin’s fingers left him.

 

“What soul? Forget the soul. I’m offering you a much better deal. Three wishes for your heart. A free sample if you will.” His eyes sparkled, full of something promising and utterly tempting.

 

Jihoon sighed. He was going to regret this, wasn’t he? But he decided to entertain the little devil. “My heart? What will you do with that, demon boy?”

 

“That’s for me to know and for you to find out.” The demon got a cheeky grin, punching him playfully on the arm.

 

“Did you really think I would fall for that? Try again.” Jihoon punched him harder make the other stumble a bit away from him. That stumble gave him a bit of satisfaction, shown by the little smirk he tried (and failed) to hide.

 

“Ok, ok!!! Fine! God, you’re such high maintenance! I can only have your heart if you succeed. If you’re not successful you can...hmm... have your wishes and after everything you go back to square one. No one loses! So, what do you say?” Woojin offered his hand for him to shake.

 

“I still don’t understand what you gain from it. What do you want?” He crossed his arms, refusing to shake Woojin’s hand without hearing his motivations. There has to be a gimmick somewhere. He cannot trust in this seemingly genuine snaggletoothed smile that is just there to confuse his mind. No way, he won’t fall for his tricks.

 

“You will really make me spell it out for you? REALLY? I want a date, ok?” The devil gestured between them wildly looking bewildered that the human boy was so dense that he couldn’t have made this connection by himself.

 

“You want WHAT?” Jihoon felt a little dizzy with this new information. But he recovered quickly masking the surprise he felt with his sassy facade, raising his chin in boldness. “Do you know there are a lot of easier ways to accomplish that, right? Offering soul binding contracts and wishes aren’t the most common ones.”

 

“I’m not a common person. You should have figured that out already, cutie.” Woojin poked his chest once and let it slide through his chest to his chin, giving it 3 little bumps. Jihoon slapped his hand out of his face. His annoyed face was utterly adorable, and if Woojin needed to keep getting on his nerves to get to see it again, he would do it gladly.

 

“Stop calling me cutie, I have a name, you know! It’s Park Jihoon. Well, since I got nothing to lose, why not? Give me your hand, Mr. Devil. Let’s seal the deal.” He offered his hand to shake which the demon just looked dumbly clearly not knowing what to do next.

 

“You will go on a date... with ME?” Woojin asked wide eyed.

 

“Calm down, lover boy. That will only happen as last resort.” Jihoon clucked his tongue, heart thumping rapidly and the outstretched arm already tired.

 

“Ouch, you wound me. Fine.” They shook hands firmly looking at each other eyes. Jihoon shivered as he felt a hot sparkling sensation that left tingles starting on his hand spreading to his arms and taking over his whole body like lightning, making him blush profusely.

 

“It’s done. So... what is your first wish?

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait, guys~ a lot has happened this month, so I couldn't update faster, even if this most of this has been written for like 3 weeks already. TT^TT I hope you guys enjoy this. let's water the tag~ ❤

 

“It’s done. So... what is your first wish?

 

Woojin put his hands in his pockets, looking towards the human in front of him expectantly. The other boy however walked straight ahead purposefully to the bike park leaving his new demon friend behind, away from the brimstone smell that surrounded him after the pact was made. It wasn’t overwhelming or particularly bad, against what one might have thought. It was unexpectedly suave, but it reminded him too much of the bizarre arrangement he has just agreed to. Not glancing backwards, Jihoon took his time digesting the question as he proceeded to lift the fallen bicycles, one by one, putting them in their rightful place.

 

The plan was to use this time to analyze this sudden devilish situation he’d gotten himself involved in, but his mind was still fuzzy by the way his body was reacting to the after effects of Woojin’s touch. A loud snap resonated. All the bikes stood neatly aligned in the bike park. _But, of course, the little devil can’t wait another minute._ Jihoon huffed annoyed, turning to the demon that seemed clueless to whatever was bothering the student.

 

“What?” asked Woojin, disconcerted, brows furrowing.

 

“I haven’t decided yet.” spoke Jihoon through his teeth. Leaning against a bike, he sighed, exhaustion settling into his body from everything that had happened to him in the duration of one single morning. “Can’t I just take a moment to think about it?”

 

“Sure, cutie.” Jihoon sent him a death glare. Woojin cleared his throat avoiding the other’s piercing gaze. “I mean, Jihoon. Let’s go somewhere more quiet, shall we?” He tilted his head in invitation. “Unless you think your school is an appropriate place for you to make major life changing decisions. Your call, really.” Woojin waited for a response sporting a lazy but alluring smile, his proposal hanging in the air.

 

 _No, definitely not._ A more reserved place was much needed, in Jihoon’s opinion. What good was it to have wishes if he just acted on them without considering all the possibilities? He had to proceed with caution. “Ok. Where to?” He replied disgruntled, fingers threading through his locks.

 

So if the other wasn’t sending them back to his own house, he pondered where else the devil might take him. He froze as a thought invaded him out of the blue: THE UNDERWORLD. _Shit. No, no, no. Nope. No way._ This is ridiculous, he wouldn’t do that, would he? _Well, he IS a demon. I wouldn’t put past him._ Apprehension took every fiber of his being at the possibility.

 

In complete contrast to his demeanor, a relaxed Woojin gave him a little satisfied smirk, offering his hand up to the human. “To the moon”, he said flashing that irritating snaggletooth that makes Jihoon’s throat dry, heartbeat speed up and his thoughts go haywire.

 

 _Damn, stupid TEMPTATION from hell!_ He bets this guy sprayed himself with it every morning. Scratch that. He must fuckin’ bathe himself in it. In a bathtub. In all his naked gloriousness. _God, the imagery!_ What were they talking about again? _Oh, right... the moon._

 

“Really? Is this some stolen pick up line from a sappy movie? Cause it sure looks like it.” Jihoon scoffed crossing his arms, an unfazed mask covering any of the real emotions he’s feeling that might slip past his face. _Nice, Jihoon. Keep your cool._ He wouldn’t let the other boy have the pleasure of knowing how much he’s affected by the smallest of his demonic actions.

 

“Stop being so difficult!” mirroring the other crossed arms, Woojin rolled his eyes, brows bumped together and a cute pout emerging from his bow lips. He couldn’t believe how troublesome Jihoon could get. It’s not like he gave the human any reason to doubt him in the first place, right? _RIGHT?_ Except the whole demon thing usually gave anyone automatic trust issues. Such a downer... just his luck to be born as one. “Just take the damn hand and I’ll show you.” Woojin waved his hand in front of his face with vigor to make a point.

 

“Just a friendly reminder - humans can’t breathe in space. I thought you should know  that before you actually try to teleport us there because I’m in no rush to meet you at your place in hell.” Jihoon gave his hand up slowly, still wary of what the demon really had in mind.

 

“Oh, so you admit you’re on the naughty list?” Woojin chuckled amused by the human’s suspicion, taking his hand into his, his thumb giving it a small caress of reassurance that didn’t go unnoticed. Troublesome as he might be, this was definitely part of the boy’s charm and it provoked in Woojin a desire to reveal all the layers behind his beautiful face.

 

“Well... I’m no angel.” Jihoon mumbled, cheeks tinted with a pretty pink, embarrassed by Woojin’s sudden forwardness. He tried to retract his hand, but the demon had a gentle but tight hold of him and didn’t seem like would release anytime soon.

 

“You could have fooled me.” Woojin boldly brought Jihoon’s hand to his mouth, kissing it briefly. His eyes watched Jihoon closely, fascinated with the way the other boy’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down in his throat. He smirked mischievously, sparkling eyes holding the boy's gaze in his own.

 

_Pop!_

 

It happened again.

 

This time Jihoon closed his eyes as he felt a small tug on his lower belly… he wasn’t sure if it had something to do with the teleportation or if it was just the way Woojin’s presence affected him, this demon just made him feel too many things all at once. He opened his eyes slowly letting go of Woojin’s hand as he took a moment to absorb where they were.

 

The view was breathtaking. They were on top of a high green mountain surrounded by thousands of fall colored trees near the rocky peaks. On one side he could see the mountains and on the other, there were rice fields, painted in a rich yellow color. An absolute stunning sight.

 

It wasn’t too dark yet - but Jihoon could already catch a glimpse of the full moon, hanging low in the sky above them. It was bigger than he’d ever seen before with it’s soft silver glow reflected on the silhouettes of the peaks surrounding them - illuminating everything around them with a special brand of enchantment.

 

“Wow...this is...wow...” Jihoon was rendered speechless. He just didn’t have the words to describe the magnificence of this place. He kept staring amazed, eyes wide and large as he longed to take in the view for just a moment more before turning back to the demon who brought him here. “The moon looks huge here… Where are we?”

 

“We are on the top of Mount Wolchulsan, the mountain that the moon rises from. No wonder it is considered one of the most beautiful sights in Korea, huh?” answered Woojin, lost in his own admiration for what was around them.

 

Jihoon had heard of this place, it was a famous tourist spot for moon rise watching. “We never even left Korea? How come is it night time here already?”

 

Woojin looked at the human boy incredulously, scoffing and pointed at himself. “Hello? Demon here. Also, time is just an illusion anyways.” Woojin placed himself behind the boy in inhuman speed, chin almost touching Jihoon’s shoulders as they watched the moon rise with bright eyes. Jihoon knew he should be bothered by the demon’s bold nature, but somehow he just felt comfortable and warm inside with the other’s closeness.

 

He couldn’t identify what it was that made his new demon friend - _Is that what he was?_ \- feel so effortlessly close to him even though they had zero interaction before this day. It could be his spontaneous smile, open and warm, that welcomed their light banter. Or maybe it was his witty tongue, that could keep up with his sharp mind in a way that few had succeeded. Or perhaps the confident way he carried himself so intimately, like they were longtime friends instead of strangers, rolling bounds of flattery through his mouth - and to Jihoon’s horror - without sounding the least bit cringey.

 

In fact, the full package appeared so tempting in a extremely attractive way that Jihoon was sure it would be his downfall, but if this knowledge scared him, it intrigued him even more. Even if he his mind told him to stay away, his soul yearned to go all the way down to the rabbit hole and find out what it was about him that enticed his senses and clouded his judgement.

 

“What do you think?” whispered Woojin, so close to him that Jihoon could feel his breath hot on his neck, the bittersweet smell of brimstone hitting him again, soft but powerful like its owner, waking him from his reverie.

 

A small shiver ran through Jihoon’s back as the wind blew softly tousling his hair, his light clothes left him feeling unprepared for the cool breeze that hit his skin. It was probably just the weather that was making him feel this way, he rationalized. His body reflexes here had nothing to do with the proximity of the demon behind him. Not at all.

 

Closing his eyes briefly, Jihoon relished this moment Woojin had given him. It was quiet and beautiful, the only sound disturbing the silence surrounding them was the slight rustle of the leaves  all around. Taking a deep breath, he just smiled content,“It’s perfect.”

 

Woojin nodded, eyes never leaving the moon.“It’s my favorite place on Earth to get some alone time. Hell can be hella loud and overcrowded, if you know what I mean.” Woojin snorted at his own joke.

 

An unavoidable smile tugged Jihoon’s mouth upwards, “I can imagine.” From the corner of his eye he could see the slightly pointy ears that matched the little horns, signs that he might have missed earlier and gave away the devil’s true nature. Jihoon turned a bit to take a better look at Woojin, the moonlight shining exquisitely on his profile enhancing his beauty, his usually sun-kissed complexion was glowing in an almost mystical way. Jihoon tensed, breath caught in his throat.

 

With the intense gaze burning his skin and a weird kind of excitement bubbling in his chest, Woojin tried to focus in the view to distract himself and his human.“Do you see that one large penis shaped rock?” he asked suddenly, pointing out to what looked like a bunch of stacked rocks.

 

Jihoon followed the direction of his finger with his eyes, bursting into laughter, his cheeks and ears tinted in red - in a perfect mix of embarrassment and delight - made to feel a little sheepish because the rock does kind of resembles a penis. “WHAT?” He couldn’t believe how shameless Woojin could be.

 

Woojin grinned at Jihoon’s bashful reaction. He stepped up in front of Jihoon speaking with all the authority of a tour guide, showing the area with his hands.“That’s Phallic Rock. People say it symbolizes man’s energy. In Spring, royal azaleas bloom on its base attesting to the miracle of life.”

 

“That’s a surprisingly beautiful meaning, even if it looks a little outrageous.” Jihoon clapped, his mouth in a cute “O” shape, a few chuckles followed next, before he hid his big grin behind his hands,  still embarrassed at the thought that a rock existed in the shape of a penis.

 

“Well, you were too tense. I thought you should loosen up a bit.” Woojin shrugged, massaging the other’s shoulders a bit, smiling. “Now you have a perfect quiet place to think.” said him, finishing it with two brusque shakes. Jihoon just nodded to the devil, breaking into a smile for a second.

 

_Snap!_

 

Two folding chairs, a cooler, a grill and a foldable table with tons of barbecue ingredients appeared. “Hungry? Sit.” Woojin made a gesture for the other to sit. Another snap and there was small fire for the grill.

 

“Very. Are you sure you’re a demon? I don’t think you’re a good one.” Jihoon sit slowly, impressed by the diversity of the menu Woojin presented for them to take a bite. His stomach grumbled in complaint at the sight.

 

“Why is that?” Woojin said as he arranged the strips of meat in the grill to barbecue, before opening the cooler and to offer him a beer, not sparing him a glance. This was a sore spot for the demon. All his life he wanted nothing else but to be like everybody, and now even a mere human could notice the blatant difference between him and his peers.

 

"I don’t know, you're just nicer than most people I know. Thanks." He took the beer and looked at it carefully before deciding to bite the bullet. He chugged down a big gulp, making a face at the bitter taste. _Ok, not tasty, but at least it’s refreshing._

 

“Are you saying that because I offered you food? Just so you know gluttony is a capital sin.” Woojin snickered trying to defend his evil intentions when Jihoon went forward to slap him teasingly. “I’ll take your words as a compliment, even if I shouldn’t. And yes, I’m a lame demon. Got into a lot of trouble because of it too. I- I just don’t know how to be any different. It isn’t for lack of trying.” Woojin shrugged, looking disheartened.

 

This was pretty much a open wound that never healed, and probably never would. His carefree and genuinely benign personality didn’t sit too well with the big BOSS- yes, even him had to call him THAT. _Humpf... ridiculous!_ The old geezer could at least acknowledge him as his child. But why would he? He was a damn bastard, a good for nothing half-breed that couldn’t do well in his job because he had too much heart, too much soul. Owning the same subject he was supposed to annihilate wasn’t the most enjoyable business, but he did what he had to do to keep living, even if living meant to be an outcast in hell. Cause where else could he go?

 

“If it counts for anything, I like that about you.” Jihoon told him squeezing Woojin’s shoulder lightly, hoping to reassure the other boy. And Jihoon meant every word. He was a person who didn’t open to others easily - who had walls between them and himself - if only for protection but Woojin? Woojin was different because he just waltzed his way right past the walls. And the thing is - Jihoon didn’t mind, not at all. For someone he had just met, he didn’t feel pressured in his presence at all. Everything just flowed, and even when it did not, he felt completely at ease.

 

Woojin dropped the chopsticks he was using to turn the meat to gawk at Jihoon. After a few seconds, he continued what he was doing like nothing happened. “It does… Thanks.” He mumbled back, in a small voice before clearing his throat in an attempt to change the subject quickly. “The barbecue is ready. Eat up.” Jihoon sensed that the other was not inclined to continue this particular conversation anymore so he stayed quiet, accepting the chopsticks and meat when offered.

 

The silence that followed wasn’t awkward so much as filled with the sounds of appreciating fine barbecue and sipping cold beer and no matter where he turned - Jihoon found himself floored by the view around him. Surrounded by the peaks of the mountains and the safe light of the floating moon watching over him - he felt light and peaceful. This tranquil mood granted him the perfect opportunity for wish decision making.

 

What was his wish, indeed? What did his heart desire most in this world?

 

Most people would say riches, fame or love. Not him though. He considered himself a fairly ambitious person, but he wasn’t one to believe or rely in otherworldly things to accomplish his goals in life - regardless of whether that help was coming from up above the clouds or down below the depths of the earth.

 

He was a firm believer of hard-work and that you could achieve whatever you wanted if you really put your mind into it and believed in yourself - which is exactly how he lived his life. In all honesty, he was satisfied with his life right now, everything was in control,  just the way he liked.

 

Except for one small little thing. The final exam thing. The _too-late-to-make-it-to-the-thing_ thing. The whole _bad-luck-that-was-today_ thing.

 

The ultimate failure thing.

 

So while Jihoon hadn’t given much thought to his wish, he knew that he had to  at least remedy his current predicament.

 

So what would he change about today? Well, if he looked at what happened today objectively, he would say that it was a major case of bad luck. Like a jinx was placed on him to ruin his every step. Or should it be misstep? Misfortune. Rotten luck.

 

Maybe he already knew where this wish was going.

 

“Woojin.” He broke their silence softly, trying not to disturb the peace that had settled between them.

 

“Hmm...” Woojin hummed by his side, mind still wandering somewhere far far away from here.

 

“I think I know what I want.” Jihoon shared a determined look that dared the devil to try to question him.

 

“Just say ‘I wish’, and it’s done.” Woojin turned to him with a contemplative face, not even a bit combative. He was ready to just accept and grant whatever wish Jihoon wanted to make. “Before I forget, I think I should add that if your wish is not to your liking you can just say _nae maeum seoge jeojang_ and I'll show up!” he informed with a thoughtful expression, after a brief consideration.

 

“Ooooook... But why would not be to my liking?” Jihoon looked puzzled at the devil, scrunching his face cutely.

 

“Just standard procedure...you got three wishes, you could always want something more exciting, I don’t know! These are your wishes, I’m just here to grant them.” the redhead bowed his head in mocking servitude.

 

“Fine. But before I say it - I want to thank you.... I mean... from the beginning, my day has been truly awful, but then you showed up with your annoying little snap magic tricks and left it upside down by showing me the most amazing place I have ever been. I have never made a trip outside Seoul's outskirts, you know? This has been truly an unforgettable experience. Today had everything to be the worst day ever, except...except for you.” His eyes softened as his hand reached out to tap Woojin’s knee lightly.

  
  
Woojin looked up to see Jihoon staring straight at him, a thankful gaze smoothing his features. That’s definitely not what Woojin was expecting. “Hul...oh, i-it was nothing.” Woojin faltered obviously flustered by everything the other boy’s eyes was telling him. “So, the wish?”

 

“Hmmm...all in all today felt like a bad omen. So I figured I should give a shot at luck. I would like to have lots of good fortune. This way I’m sure to be on time for my test, plus I could probably ace the exam as well.” Jihoon proclaimed smug,  air puffing his chest outwards with all the pride he felt in himself for coming up with such a wonderful idea.

 

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Woojin asked, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

 

“Hmm...” Jihoon suddenly paused, not appearing confident enough. He looked at Woojin like a lost puppy, shaking his head not knowing what to say next.

 

“The words, Jihoon!” interjected an entertained Woojin, resting his face on his palm. The demon took pleasure in observing the human’s expressive face. Park Jihoon’s face was a natural wonder of the living world.

 

“Oh, right! I wish to rewind this day and have lots of good luck!” Jihoon squeezed his eyes shut like he did when he was little, wishing upon a star, focusing on his goal.

 

When he opened his eyes the last thing he saw was Woojin nodding affirmatively, mouthing a soundless “Fighting!”, with two thumbs up before everything faded to black.

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hell-o~ >:) Sorry for the tardiness...I thought I would be able to multitask and write two fics at once, but guess what? My time management sucks, hence the lateness ;~; 
> 
> So~ the first scene actually happens in the middle of Jihoon's scene, but I didn't want to break that...I guess it doesn't change much in terms of understanding the plot, but to avoid confusing people, better give a heads-up ^^'
> 
> Daehwi and Jinyoung are the same age as Jihoon here. They are classmates.
> 
> Thanks to all of you that are still reading this~ <3  
> Special thanks to Lilli, you're my hero, I'm sorry I'm a mess TT^TT  
> Also to Kat and Ang that offered to help as well! I love u both ^3^

Woojin leaned over a basin in the living room of his small apartment. But this was no ordinary basin, no, this one had fancy script writing on it's border in a language unreadable by most men that gave it powers equally incomprehensible by most men. But it wasn't the border that had so captured his attention completely - it was the boy whose image stayed constant and bright as he watched Jihoon's wish unfold after their encounter. Bewitched entirely, mind, body and if he had a soul - Jihoon would have taken that too.

  
“Are you still stalking the human boy?” said a low baritone voice behind the devil, waking him up from his stupor. “I thought you’d finally got the guts to make your move on him.”  
  
The demon boy turned to see Ong Seongwoo, his “manager” – who sometimes felt more like a babysitter – had entered his apartment unannounced like he owned the place. Typical. The guy would be ok enough to be around but then there was the tiny little complication that Seongwoo was responsible for updating the big BOSS on Woojin’s whereabouts. And sure, Seongwoo wasn’t a total snitch on occasion though Woojin was  pretty sure Seongwoo had covered his ass more than once.

 

But he was an adult. He didn’t need any of his dad’s minions watching over him, no matter how friendly they seemed.

 

“Don’t say stalk...it sounds creepy!” Sputtered Woojin, hand on his chest exhaling loudly with his eyes bulging, in vehement denial. He didn’t stalk... _Pffttt!_ He just did what any wish-giving demon could have done. It wasn’t his fault that he was the first one to hear the human’s wish just because he was in the vicinity...admiring...his beauty. Ok, maybe he did take his crush a bit too far, but it was not stalking. _IT WASN’T._

 

“Case in point.” The beautiful demon leaned on the wall, arms crossed with a teasing smile on his face as if he could see the gears of Woojin’s mind turning, trying to come up with an excuse for his fixation on the human boy.

 

“I did... kinda…make a move, I mean.” Woojin started faintly.  Ong Seongwoo just raised one eyebrow, skepticism written all over his face. “It’s actually less a move - more of a contract.” concluded the redhead, voice a bit more firm and assured. Seongwoo wouldn’t hold anything against him if he was doing his job, right? There was nothing creepy about that.

 

“YOU GOT A SOUL CONTRACT OUT OF YOUR CRUSH?” gasped Seongwoo, followed by a quick bark of laughter, as the notion sank in. The boy had more balls than he gave him credit for.

 

“Why don’t you scream it louder? Everybody in the nine circles of Hell hasn't heard you!” Hissed Woojin, sarcasm dripping from his lips, embarrassed with the older’s antics and wishing he could avoid this conversation. He didn’t want the older to pry into his personal life. Especially since Ong prying meant his dad prying, and the BOSS – he thought in a mocking tone – had no right to know shit about his life. It’s not like he cared anyway.

 

“Well, you know what they say: Nothing says I love you better than eternity in damnation. And excuse me for being surprised since your soul score is pretty lousy.” mocked Seongwoo, a slow and amused devilish smile breaking onto his face, pleased to be tormenting the younger demon.

 

“Ouch! Don't kick a man when he's down.” snorted the redhead, putting a hand over his chest mockingly.

 

Everyone knew Woojin avoided souls like the plague. Ong himself had to pull some strings in the SSD (Soul Supervision Department) to turn the blind eye to Woojin’s lack of soul countings and get his numbers embezzled a bit. Till now the BOSS hadn’t found out. He was sure he was as good as dead if HE ever did. But Seongwoo had a soft spot for the half-demon. Not that he ever was going to tell him that.

 

“Pl-uh-ease, you know I would’ve been the first to kick you if you were down”, grinned Ong, coming closer to stab the other’s chest with his finger just to be annoying.

 

“METAPHORICALLY, hyung! Anyways, not a soul binding contract, just a quite beneficial one for him as a free sample...you know, to attract the customer.” Woojin said, slapping the older’s hand, justifying his acts, knowing fully well his manager wouldn’t buy it. He waited for the other’s probably loud and legitimate complaint with one closed eye and bated breath.

 

Ong’s face said it all: he didn’t believe any of the bullshit Woojin had just spluttered. “YOU ACTUALLY GAVE HIM 3 WISHES FREE OF CHARGE?”, the older barked, the volume of his voice increasing by each syllable. “This won’t go well and you know it!” he sighed in frustration. “Why can’t you just go after a cute little demon like yourself instead of a human boy? I’m sure out there must be plenty interested in you, especially now that puberty seems to have finally hit you just right.”

 

And it did. Long gone was the scrawny shy boy Seongwoo used to watch for the BOSS. He had grown to be a quite the charming looking lad with something raw, devious and dangerous about his looks that completely betrayed his funny and awkward personality. But the suitors didn’t need to know that until it was too late to run away.

 

“That’s bullshit. Nobody wants to be seen with me and you know it. And I don’t want any of them.” muttered the younger, pouting dejectedly. Woojin wasn’t dense. He did notice the judgmental eyes that followed him everywhere he went and didn’t want to associate himself  with anyone that cared more for his birth status than who he really was.

  
“Ugh, the whippedness hurts.” Seongwoo rolled his eyes, ignoring the self-deprecating talk, as he didn’t want the other to dwell in it. He was already detouring from the initial task that made him come here in the first place, no need to enter the infinite spiralling low self-esteem issues the younger had.  
  
“You’re one to talk. How is Minhyun hyung going, by the way? I saw him giving rides to pretty humans… you better watch out.” Woojin gave him a half-smile looking at his nails in a seemingly casual way. “Your situation is way worse than mine. You’re actually dating an angel, which is completely forbidden!” Woojin exposed acidly, throwing his hands in the air. Seongwoo could talk shit all he wanted, but Woojin had dirt on him and he was not afraid to use it.

 

“I beg to differ! Our relationship is only frowned upon, what is forbidden is to interbreed which is not happening since we’re both MALES! And please, you insult me thinking Nyeonie could possibly choose a lowly human over me.” Seongwoo informed sassily, sauntering his hips in a girlish way on his way to the door. Woojin just raised an eyebrow at the older. _Ha!_ The kid thought he could hold that against him? Two could play this game, and Seongwoo was much more experienced at it. Woojin didn't have a chance. “Better be careful when you run your mouth. I don’t know if you forgot, but you owe me quite a bit.” Ong said in a seemingly non-threaten way, but Woojin knew better.

“Anyways, I’m just here to deliver a message: the BOSS wants to talk to you. Tsk, tsk. I wonder what mess you've gotten yourself into now.” continued the older leaning nonchalantly by the door. “Don’t keep him waiting. You know how he gets. Chop-chop.” finished Seongwoo winking provocatively as he closed the door, leaving Woojin alone in the apartment with his thoughts.

 

Woojin froze squeezing his eyes shut already fearing the possible outcomes. _Shit, shit, shit. This cannot be good._ There’s no time to escape this fateful meeting as by now, Seongwoo certainly had informed the big bad BOSS that he was able to find him. _UGH._ To think he had been doing such a fine job evading HIM. Well, no such luck anymore. There’s no point dilly dallying.  He took a deep breath to gather his will. _Let’s just get over with this._

 

_Snap!_

 

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

 

_BEEP! BEEP!_

 

The phone alarm rang insistently, until lethargic fingers pressed the button turning it off. The sun invaded the window of Jihoon's room spreading its pleasant warmth, waking the sleepy boy slowly. He waited a bit before opening his eyes, basking in the coziness as he hugged his bedsheets a little closer. The birds announced a new day with their happy chirps and Jihoon finally gave in, sitting sluggish at the end of the bed.

 

Blinking away the sleepiness, he took his phone and looked at the final exam’s reminder flashing on the screen. He got time still so there was no need to rush. He looked down and was surprised by a fancy decorated box with a big white ribbon and a card attached. He picked up the box putting it on his lap, as he read the golden message in a flowery calligraphy, _“Happy belated birthday, my favorite nephew! I hope you like it. Love, Auntie Jia.”_

 

 _What?_ But his birthday was months ago... And since when he was auntie’s Jia favorite nephew? This was...interesting. He opened the box and inside, carefully wrapped in tissue paper, was an oversized soft looking turtleneck pink sweater.

 

“Wow! It’s so pretty.” he admired the sweater touching the fluffy fabric delicately. “I shall wear you today. You better gimme luck”, the boy smiled prettily pointing at it as if it could understand what he was talking, squeezing it on his chest after. As the words slipped out his mouth, he remembered his wish. “Thank you, Woojin. The day is already having a nice start.” He giggled revealing his cute cheekbones.

 

He practically skipped to the bathroom ready to start the day with a nice warm bath and brand new clothes. He took extra care when styling his hair and coordinating his clothes today, making sure the tight black pants matched the pink sweater well. He looked at the mirror puffing his chest a little and smiling at the reflection. The sweater paws looked extra cute and his skin was definitely glowing. He felt invincible. The day was looking promising.

 

He got his backpack over his shoulder and went down the stairs going towards the kitchen where a note was sticked in the fridge. _“Chubsie, we had to leave early for a meeting. There’s a ham sandwich ready for you. Have a nice test today. We love you! ♡”._ He shook his head at the embarrassing endearment, but beamed when he grabbed the sandwich and took generous bites, munching it happily as he made way to the front door.

 

Locking the door he walked to the bus stop in relaxed steps, admiring the beautiful day, he stumbled in the sidewalk and noticed his colored shoelaces were untied. Kneeling down to tie them, he spotted a single one-hundred dollar bill laying by the grass. _Wow, lucky day indeed._ He picked the money grinning, put in his wallet and tucking in his pants’ pocket. A sudden honk got him startled. He turned his torso, following the sound that came from a blue old school convertible Mustang that stopped right by his side.

 

“Ah! Hi, Jihoonie~ good morning! Wanna a ride to school?” grinned the handsome driver behind the steering wheel. It was Minhyun, Jisung’s friend and co-worker at the cafe. Jihoon had the tiniest little crush in him, but he had never said that to a single soul. Especially since he heard the older boy was currently dating a part-time model, part-gorgeous and part-goofball, Ong Seongwoo.

 

Minhyun was also a part-time model, but he decided to help Jisung when Daniel – the other staff in the cafe – broke his arm while doing a complicated b-boy dance move. He swooned a little inside . _Could he be any more perfect?_

 

“Woah, hyung! What a nice ride.” He said touching the car’s bodywork amazed. “I don’t want to trouble you, hyung, but if you really don’t mind I’ll accept it. I have a big test today.” he said scratching the neck, looking at Minhyun a bit flustered, cheeks burning in bashfulness.

 

“You’re so cute, Jihoonie. Of course it will be no trouble at all. I’m offering, right? I only have to pick a thing at the cafe first and I’ll take you to school ASAP, ok?” he leaned over and opened the car’s door. “Get in.”

 

Jihoon usually didn’t like being called a cute person. He would rather been seen as a  tough and manly guy who happened to like cute things. But he had a soft spot for Minhyun, and he could probably get away with calling him anything, really. Luck was on Jihoon’s side cause the other guy was too much of a gentleman to abuse his power – supposing he even knows about it in the first place –  to call him anything degrading. _Thank God for small blessings._

 

He smiled brightly at the older getting in the fancy ride, admiring its details. Of course, to add to Minhyun’s innumerable charms there had to be a damn nice car. _Isn’t life unfair?_ He discovered he didn’t mind much. He was having the time of his life, in Minhyun’s rad convertible in a companionable silence, a faint music playing in the radio while the wind blew his locks breezily, not strong enough to undo the styling. He closed his eyes enjoying the weather. This was awesome.

 

The coffee shop wasn’t that far away, just a couple of blocks from Jihoon’s house. Minhyun parked the car and told him to wait a little in the car. “This will only take a sec, Jihoonie. You won’t even notice I’m gone”, like Minhyun’s absence could ever go unnoticed by him. _Ha! Not possible, Mr. Hwang. Not on my watch!_

 

“Fancy seeing you here, princess. Enjoying the day so far?”

 

The steady bass voice sent a jolt through Jihoon making him jump on his seat and turn abruptly to look at the backseat with eyes wide with shock and heart beating thunderously.

 

Woojin was there, bad boy gear on point – tight ripped pants combined with denim jacket over a white cotton shirt and black sunglasses covering his eyes, the epitome of casual rogueness – arms hugging the leather car seat oddly not looking out of a place, not even for a second. _Weird._

 

“What the hell, Woojin? Don’t gimme a heart attack!” gasped Jihoon gripping the front of his sweater to soothe the erratic beats of his heart that were all over the place thanks to the tremendous distress the demon’s sudden appearance caused him.

 

“Oh, so I do make your heart beat faster.” he grinned at the human amused, raising the sunglasses and adjusting it on top of his head coolly, face coming closer to the front seat.

 

“Pfftt...please! But answering to your question: yes, I am enjoying it very much.” he crossed his arms nodding emphatically staring at Woojin. The audacity of this demon… like he could charm his pants off just cause he looked exceptionally neat today. Tsk...It wouldn’t work. He was just caught off guard. The wild backflip his heart just made at the brimstone scent that sharply invaded his nostrils had nothing to do with it.  
  
“Hmm...I see. Why are you so dressed up today? You do know the owner of this car has a boyfriend, right? You know what the say right: you shall not covet your neighbour’s goods...and you also shall not commit adultery. They’re both bad bad sins in the big Guy’s book? One more sin to add to your naughty list. Should I start a welcome party committee?” Woojin spoke quickly spitting word after word, his eyebrows dancing mischievously as his grin got so wide that his indian dimples and snaggletooth could be seen in full display. _Cute._

“Stop waggling those stupid angry bird eyebrows of yours at me. It's not what you think! Minhyun hyung is just being a perfect gentleman and giving me a ride to school.” declared Jihoon, harrumphing in indignation. He would never stoop so low as to be the third party in any relationship, no matter how besotted he was with the idea of getting someone like his dream man, Hwang Minhyun.

 

Woojin observed the other guy’s name roll from Jihoon’s tongue like a reverence. His eyes sparkling and the corners of his mouth turning up instinctively. It was obvious that the human liked him more than just a regular friend. He was just teasing at first but now that he noticed these little signs his mood turned sour.

 

“Never mind. Forget I’ve ever mentioned anything.” the demon boy muttered scrunching his face and sounding...sad? Hurt? But...why would he even be sad? Did he want him to be with the older guy? Jihoon didn’t get where that came from. He turned again, looking back just to realize the devil wasn’t there anymore. _Brat_. Leaving him here by himself.

 

“Is everything alright, Jihoon?” the soft voice of Hwang Minhyun accompanied by the door slam coming from the driver’s seat beside him surprised Jihoon and snapping him out of his convoluted thoughts about the cute redheaded devil. He just nodded absent mindedly.

 

Minhyun held two medium sized caramel macchiatos, offering him one as he sipped his own savoring its taste. “Jisung’s said this was your favorite so I decided to try it too. It’s sweet like you. Don’t worry, today is on me, to cheer you up for the exam”, he raised his cup in salutation, giving Jihoon a small smile.

 

“Thank you.” Jihoon sucked his straw avidly, letting the sweetness invade his taste buds while eyeing Minhyun from behind his fringe before averting his gaze shyly, blushing in a pinkish hue. Jihoon was embarrassed by how he couldn’t keep his reactions from the older, but if he noticed, Minhyun never mentioned anything.

 

“So...big test, hun? Are you ready for it?” Minhyun asked, initiating a small talk as he drove the younger to his school, in a leisurely and carefree pace.  
  
“I like to think I am. I studied the whole night.” Jihoon reassured the older confidently, a little surge of pride blossoming in his chest. He didn't want the older to think he was a failure.  
  
“Very good, Jihoonie. Keep that up.” he patted his head affectionately, keeping his hand on the back of his seat, the other in the steering wheel and eyes still on the road. Jihoon felt like melting into a puddle at Minhyun’s closeness. “We’re here.”

 

He got off the car and leaned on the door, looking at Minhyun with a thankful gaze. “Thank you, hyung. Really. For everything.” Jihoon offered his most beautiful smile in gratitude.

 

“Don’t mention it. I’m glad I could help. Now I have to run some errands for Jisung so I can’t stay and chat anymore. Good luck, Jihoon!” he said as he waved goodbye and accelerated the blue convertible disappearing on the next turn.Jihoon remained in the same spot, watching the older leave with a contentment sigh on his lips.

 

Time to face his destiny. Convinced that today would be his great day and he would ace the exam for sure he took bold steps towards the school gates. He was just about to cross the entrance when multiples low rumbles vibrated in his pocket before the telling ring annunciating a call. In the third ring Jihoon managed to answer the phone.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Jihoon hyung? C-can you talk? I’m...I’m…” cracked a voice choked with emotion in answer on the other side of the call.

 

“Daehwi! Daehwi! What happened? Why are you crying?” Jihoon asked in alarm. Daehwi wasn’t much of a crier.  Au contraire to his petite size and adorable looks, he was probably one of toughest people Jihoon had ever met. Hearing the distress in his voice made the peaceful day take a 180º turn and despair started take over his mind.

 

“Jin-Jinyoung is...” Daehwi’s voice stills, a string of sobs follow next making Jihoon start sweating in worry. This was not good. He looked around searching for any sign of the boys. They should be here for the exam by now too. Unless, whatever happened detained the couple from getting to school.

 

“What about Jinyoung? Where are you?” The uncertainty was killing Jihoon as he kept listening to Daehwi’s uncontrollable sobs on the other end of the line unable to do anything else but wait the boy’s response. “Calm down, Hwi. I want to help, but I need to know what is happening first. Stop crying...”

 

Jihoon could hear the sobs getting quieter till he listen to a deep breath. “I’m sorry, hyung. Jinyoung...he-he was hit by a motorcycle”, another breath, “he’s unconscious, hyung”, and the sobs started all over again.

 

“Oh, my God, Hwi! Where are you guys?”, his head started spinning from all acquired information. What the heck was happening?

 

“We are at hospital – the one 2 blocks from school – in the emergency room. Come fast, please”, Daehwi finished in a small pleading voice. Jihoon’s heart sank at the anguish  tone of the younger. The bubbly Daehwi was no more.

 

“I’m coming over.” he hang up already leaving the school grounds in a hurry. No test was more important than his best friend’s life. He had to go over this with Woojin later. This was supposed to be a great day, dammit. How did it end up even worse than the first time?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... who do you think is Woojin's daddy dearest? Take a wild guess and reply in the comments ;)
> 
> Thanks to all of you that are still reading this~ <3

Woojin teleported himself into a pompous and decadent ante room – lavishly furnished in dark colors and bright reds – opting for the alternative entry just so he could avoid secretary Cheetah hollering his name in announcement on his way in. She always gave him the creeps with her heavy makeup, sharp colored nails and sharper tongue.

 

He landed outside his father’s office before a tall and imposing black door adorned with two grotesque stone creatures on each side, with blazes of fire flaring wildly from a crease around the door, clearly made for intimidating whoever stood before the huge gate. Woojin clucked his tongue at the BOSS’ need for such obvious gimmicks. His old man was so into theatrics. Not to say it didn’t work. He was having a little trouble steading the dysrhythmia that assaulted his heart.

 

The half-demon took a few deep breaths as he raised his fist to knock and announce his arrival when a booming voice from inside interjected in an imperious tone. “Come in, Woojin.” The voice sent a shiver into his spine, an automatic response from his body to his tyrannous father figure.

 

He was always on his toes every time he talked to the BOSS. His careful behaviour was a result of a life built on fearing for his future and what it entailed due to his forbidden origins and the constant feeling of being an eternal disappointment to his sire and to the whole demon community. He knew that the only reason he even survived his annihilation as a hybrid was his father’s influence used to his protection – or seclusion, whatever people chose to view his predicament as.

 

The weight of being alive didn’t quite outweigh the fact that he was confined in hell, only recently consented permission to go to Earth but never ever to be allowed near Heaven. His own existence was an affront to the Almighty – and so he was banished from being allowed any contact with celestial beings.

 

He was bitter that he wasn’t able to live together with his mother – but he was hurt even more by the fact that she had never fought hard enough to keep him. His sire, asshole as he might be, at least didn’t mind violating whatever ancient law there was to guarantee it didn’t apply to his own spawn and he kept him alive, although it didn’t protect him from the hatred and scorn he received on a daily basis from his equals.

 

_But were they truly his equals?_

 

It didn’t matter. It hurt just the same.

 

 _So what if the angels ignored him and that the closest thing to contact he had with his mom was a pendant that never left his neck?_ He held the white rock that emitted a faint glow, pulsating together with his own heart as a good luck charm. He liked to pretend it was the lost link to a possible affection from her part.

 

Why did no one want him? What did he do to deserve this? The solitude, the hatred, the ostracization. It wasn’t his damn fault he was a hybrid! He wanted a way out of this life, but he didn’t know how to achieve that.

 

He was a hostage of his own fears. He didn’t know what was waiting for him in the outside world. For many years, he had had the reliable protection of his father and his minions in Hell, whether he wanted it or not.

 

What if they caught him and finished what they couldn’t years ago?

 

He was a damn coward. He rather be in his own personal hell, literal and figurative, than step out of his comfort zone.

 

Letting go of depressing thoughts he entered the room, summoning all the courage available in his flawed body to deal with his father. The BOSS had his back to the door, both hands behind him as he watched over his reign through a huge red tinted pane of glass. Woojin gulped, waiting for some acknowledgement .

 

“I’ve heard things. Things about you. I’m not happy about it.” said his father in a clipped tone, distaste dripping like poison from his plump lips.

 

“Were you ever happy when it comes to me? I don’t recall you ever being a very jolly fella to begin with.” Woojin replied light-heartedly trying to diffuse the tension that made the air of the room stuffy.

 

The Devil turned to look at him with a piercing gaze full of deep and serious intent. _Ok, so no playing around then. Got it._ His stature was smaller than Woojin’s, but his powerful aura towered over the half-demon in a menacing way, betraying his calm and collected demeanor. In his pristine white suit and bright red hair – horns bigger and bolder than Woojin’s curling around its edges – he was definitely a sight to behold. Someone who instantly inspired respect and fear. Nobody could say he wasn’t a beautiful man. His porcelain skin was pure and spotless – a tell-tale sign of his past angelic self – the complete opposite of his commanding dark power.

 

“Don’t be insolent, kid. It doesn’t suit you.” rebuked the BOSS, his voice ice cold and and steely gaze holding Woojin fixed to his spot. “Did you really think you could hide that shameful soul count from me? DO I LOOK LIKE A FOOL TO YOU?”  his roar reverberated loudly making Woojin cover his pointy ears in agony.

 

“No, sir.” Woojin was proud of himself, right now. He’d managed to have the self-restraint to not completely shake all over at his father’s words.

 

Evidently, even if he didn’t think so, he was getting better at dealing with these little family meetings.

 

“You didn’t do this all on your own, TELL ME THE NAMES OF THE PEOPLE WHO HELPED YOU!” a deafening slap echoed on the table and although Woojin made sure to stay perfectly still everything else in the office quivered.

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Boss.” Woojin kept his eyes down in submission so he could avoid his sire’s uncomfortable penetrating stare.

 

“Don’t lie to me, Woojin. If you don’t tell me, I have other ways of discovering this information, you know? Come hell or high water.” He growled lowly before reaching up to hold Woojin’s chin firmly in his hand, accompanied by gaze so intense it felt like would pierce through his mind and forcefully pull all the answers he wanted. Woojin tried to empty his thoughts just in case he actually could. Tricking the Devil was a dangerous game. He had no idea of how far the BOSS’s  powers could go but he wouldn’t want to underestimate them. “And when I find out who it was, this filth will regret ever trying to deceive me.” The BOSS hissed with purpose.

 

“Nobody helped me, BOSS. If there’s anyone to blame, it’s me and me alone.”   _Oh, shit. They were doomed_ . _They were so doomed._ Woojin wished Ong could get his mental signal to stay the fuck away of his father for awhile and to try to clean his own name of the traitorous lips that gave their secret away. He hoped Seongwoo wouldn’t do anything too dramatic, but knowing him he was a bit afraid for the tattler demon’s life.

 

“This go without saying…” the Devil passed his hand through his hair in agitation, sounding tired of this talk. “I can’t turn the blind eye forever to this despicable behavior. You are my spawn, whether you want to be or not Woojin. That comes with some benefits sure - but there are responsibilities that you have to uphold as well! Your failure is my failure by  nature of association and I cannot be seen as weak! Do you hear me? I’m not like the bloody ‘Almighty’ where everybody kisses the ground he walks on. I worked damn hard to be where I am now, and you will NOT be my downfall.” He pointed his index finger accusingly at Woojin who flinched in response.

 

“I never intended to be a poor reflection on you, sire… I’m trying, I really am…” he started in an apologetic way when he felt it. His lower belly was tugging insidiously. Jihoon. He was calling him. Bless his soul.

 

“You think you’re too good for hell, kid? Do you want a taste of what it’s like to be completely powerless and defenceless? You keep that ridiculous soul count number and that’s is exactly what will happen to you! You’re an adult now, Woojin. ACT LIKE ONE!”

 

He looked down at his gut where the tug was getting stronger and at his father’s face, red from anger. He got a good excuse to run way of this dreadful meeting with his father. He hoped the BOSS found this good enough for him to flee. “I’m being summoned. A contract. I need to go. You know, duty calls.”

 

“A contract, huh? I tell you what, Woojin. You get this soul, this one little soul out of this contract you just mentioned and that’s that. I’ll take a leap of faith and believe you want to be a hardworking demon and get off your back. But if you don’t bring me that, you can forget I ever took you under my wing. Say goodbye to everything you’ve known till now. I’ll banish you without a single power to your name. Are we clear? Go ahead, you got a call.” He threw a hand weakly in the air, dismissing Woojin by sitting on his table and downing the single scotch glass that waited for him in one swift swig.

 

This was Woojin’s cue to leave.

_Snap!_

 

Disoriented, Woojin still replayed his father’s last words in his head, rooted to the spot where he landed. He felt dizzy. The Devil couldn’t just drop a bombshell like that. But he was pretty clear: he got a soul or there was no more daddy’s dearest protection. And to make matters worse it wasn’t a random soul, it was Jihoon’s soul. Woojin didn’t know how to feel about that. An ultimatum.

 

For one, he couldn’t believe his sire was so mad at his awful soul count. Or maybe, he  was just mad that Woojin hid how bad he was at this job. Eitherways, the reason hardly mattered. What mattered was that he was pissed. Not just pissed, he was furious. He had to give it to his father though, his self-restraint was admirable. He’d been expecting to be blown off from his office or getting some harsher punishment in the form of those endless damnation circles. But he got a threat instead. And that frightened him a lot more then any physical punishment could ever do.

 

He had to get to Jihoon now and to figure a way out of this without hurting him in the process. He will not taint that soul, not in a million of years, even if that meant facing his worst fears. Fortune favours the brave, right? He hoped fortune had worked out for Jihoon. They would need it. Lots of it.

 

But if Jihoon summoned him, most likely it didn’t… just his luck. Only now he noticed the sterile atmosphere of the hospital he’d teleported to. _Oh, fuck!_ He could only hope Jihoon hadn’t hurt himself.

___________________________________________________________________________

 

Jihoon hurried as fast as he could to ER’s waiting room of where he quickly identified Daehwi’s desolate form, seated in a chair with both hands clasped together in front of him, eyes unfocused – so small and fragile. He slowed his steps, taking a deep breath before approaching him since he didn’t want to cause the younger boy any more distress. _This was just so wrong._ Was his wish the cause of it all?

 

“Hyung!” Daehwi looked up noticing his presence and threw himself in the older’s boy embrace so he was engulfed by Jihoon’s bigger frame. Stroking his hair in quick comforting movements, Jihoon asked in a careful small voice, “Jinyoungie?”  

 

“Still unconscious.” murmured  Daehwi, the sound muffled by his shirt that soon was soaked wet by the younger’s boy unstoppable tears. “His parents are with him now. It’s all my fault, hyung!”

 

Jihoon held his shoulders at arm-length as quiet sobs left the thin boy’s lips. “Stop it, Daehwi! It’s not your fault.” _If anything, it’s all mine._ The guilt ate him up at the thought, he was utterly ashamed of his own selfishness.

 

“You don’t understand, Jihoon hyung! It was supposed to be me. I wasn’t paying attention when crossing the street. Jinyoungie pushed me out of the way and got hit instead!” Daehwi cried freely again.

 

“Hey, hey...Hyung is here. Don’t cry anymore, Daehwi…” Jihoon consoled his friend, clearing the tear stains with his fingers tenderly.  “I’m gonna grab some drinks at the vending machine for us, ok?” Daehwi just nodded and sat back down in the same position he was in before Jihoon had arrived. At least, that would give them something to do while they waited for Mr. and Mrs. Bae to come back with news about Jinyoung and some time for Jihoon to think of how how he could fix this mess.

 

Jihoon sighed pressing the coffee machine buttons. He couldn’t bear seeing the younger boy suffering for something he had done. _I fucked up. I shouldn’t have played with the wishes of a demon!_ _Look at the trouble I brought upon my friends just to get to a stupid test._ He took a sip of the espresso he just bought, letting the hot beverage soothe his frantic mind. _WOOJIN! I have to call him...what were the words? Oh, ok, I got it._

 

“NAE MAEUM SEOGE JEOJANG!” he squawked loudly. Flushing pink, he was suddenly  very self-conscious about yelling in the middle of a hospital corridor. He rushed back to the waiting room to get Daehwi his drink. He hoped Woojin wouldn’t let him wait for too long.

 

“Here, kid. Drink something warm to help you calm down.” Daehwi obeyed silently, taking the tea from his hyung’s hand and drinking it in small gulps.

 

“Thanks, hyung...for everything. I know you lost the final exam. I’m so sorry”, the young and thin boy mumbled sadly, putting his head on his hand. Jihoon crouched in front of him taking his hand in his in a silent plea to make Daehwi’s eyes stop tearing up long enough to look at him.

 

“Friends come first. I’ll handle that latter, don’t worry. Hyung will fix everything. Jinyoung will be fine. Everybody will be fine, do you hear me?” he reassured the boy smiling, squeezing his hands lightly.

 

“Listen to him, boy. And if he doesn’t fix it, I will, ok? So, really, don’t cry anymore.” offered a smooth and deep voice in consolation to Daehwi from behind Jihoon. His eyes widened as he felt a big, gentle hand clamp on his shoulder firmly, in a supportive way. _He is here. Woojin is here._ The thought strangely lifted his mood a little, a warm feeling invading him at the sound of his soothing words and sturdy presence.

 

“And who are you may I ask?” inquired Daehwi squinting his eyes at the stranger who intruded on their very personal and delicate moment.

 

“I’m-I am his boyfriend. The name is Woojin, nice to meet you. Daehwi, right? Jihoon told me a lot about you.” Woojin smiled softly introducing himself and bowing his head in salutation.

 

“WHAT?” Daehwi and Jihoon exclaimed in unison. Woojin squeezed Jihoon’s shoulder tightly as a signal to play along. _Don’t mess my cover._ Jihoon got the message as if it were spoken to him inside his head. What? Could Woojin even do that? Well, he certainly couldn’t say to Daehwi that Woojin was his devil buddy who he had a three-wishes contract with. Ok, then… _ACTION!_

 

“I mean...what are you doing here, huh, love?” Jihoon cringed a bit as the endearment left his mouth, but mostly kept his face devoid of any emotion that could give him in for the lie he was presenting to Daehwi. Even if the boy was as perceptive as a feline, Park Jihoon was a part of the damn drama club! He could pull this off. Hopefully.

 

“You called me, babe, remember?” Woojin said in a voice soft with affection that pulled at Jihoon’s heartstrings for an unknown reason that he wasn’t sure if he wanted to prod deeper. But, one thing he was sure of was that he liked it. He liked how Woojin genuinely sounded like a worried and supportive boyfriend. Jihoon shook his head, willing the dangerous thoughts to go way.

 

“Yeah, right… honey. I forgot. This whole Jinyoung thing has messed up with my head.” Jihoon remarked, with a gloomy sigh. He disentangled his fingers from Daehwi’s and stood up swiftly with the intent of talking things over with Woojin so they could fix this whole mess. Instead, he found himself covered by the too warm embrace of a demon from hell and found his hair caressed by the all too gentle hands of the same demon. He wasn’t bothered by the temperature rise in the air around him. It was an oddly comforting experience that he was thoroughly enjoying.

 

“Let’s talk.” whispered Woojin in his ears, making the hairs of the back oh his neck stand up while his body shivered in the devil’s arms. Jihoon would’ve liked to prolong that tender moment for a few minutes, but Daehwi was looking at them suspiciously and it brought him back to reality in a blink of an eye.

 

“Sorry, Daehwi, I need to speak a word to my...boyfriend here real quick. I’ll come back soon.” Jihoon apologized, pushing Woojin out of the younger’s boy sight before he started to ask too many questions that would surely expose their fake dating status.

 

“It was nice to meet you too, Woojin!” yelled Daehwi that was soon out of their view once they turned into a deserted corridor far enough from the waiting room.

 

“What the hell was that, Woojin? BOYFRIEND!?” Jihoon whisper-screamed at Woojin, shaking him by the shoulders before pinning him to the wall.

 

“I panicked, ok? And who would believe that a random friend would come in such a dire situation?” Woojin justified himself, closing his eyes as if this could protect him from the boy’s rage. Jihoon looked quite scary right now, not like an ordinary human at all.

 

“Oh, yeah, now that you bring that up: how did you even know what had happened? I never told you about it.” Jihoon muttered squinting his eyes while gripping the front of Woojin’s shirt  threateningly.

 

“Huh...I might have taken a little sneak a peek in your mind? Like really fast just to contextualize myself...I didn’t want to intrude.” admitted a guilty but afraid Woojin, his voice rising an octave. He used his hands to try to appease the turbulent emotions of the irritated human in front of him.

 

“Wow, how courteous of you…” Jihoon didn’t sound too bad  - maybe he was okay with this - “TO RAPE MY FUCKIN’ MIND!” Woojin squinted his eyes shut as Jihoon growled up at him, fire burning through his eyes.

 

Okay, maybe they were not so okay. “I’M SORRY, OK!? I thought it would help you since your call sounded urgent!” Woojin defended himself holding his hands up in surrender.

 

“Ugh..It doesn’t matter...I’m just pissed over the fact that I ruined everything. Jinyoung would be just fine if it weren’t for me meddling with fate.” Jihoon pressed his back to the wall beside Woojin and slid down till he reached the floor, dispirited.

 

“Hey… I’m really sorry. I promise I won’t ever do it again. I won’t even touch you if you don’t want me to.” Woojin professed ashamed of his behavior, sliding next to him to the ground. Jihoon then proceeded to bump his shoulder against the demon’s as a peace sign. “And it’s wasn’t you, Jihoon. It’s just how things are. If you change something in your path it will eventually change not only your fate but other people’s too. And in this case, your friend’s fate was affected. The bad luck can’t be extinguished...it was just... transferred, for lack of a better word? In order to change a fate you have to compensate in a inversal way to keep the balance of the universe.” explained the demon to make Jihoon feel better.

 

“For every action there is an equivalent force reaction in the opposite direction…” babbled Jihoon, his Physics homework about Newton’s Third Law making a sudden appearance in the back of his mind.

 

“Exactly. That’s why I’m saying it’s not your fault...I mean, kinda, but not really.” pondered Woojin throwing an arm over Jihoon’s shoulders tentatively.

 

“You’re right...I’m not the one to blame. You are! You stupid little demon could have explained this to me from the beginning and I wouldn’t ever try to change anything.” Jihoon whined giving his chest a few blows for good measure.

 

“Wait, WHAT!? WHY ME!?” scoffed an annoyed Woojin trying to prevent Jihoon’s blows to hit the aimed target.

 

“If it wasn’t for you in the first place this would never have happened!” the human glared at him all hot and bothered sporting a huge pout.

 

“Ok, sure but I’m not at fault too...this is just how the Universal Balance works. Don’t blame me for the immutable rules of the universe!” Woojin reasoned with him, holding both of his hands that kept hitting him then freeing them in one swift motion. He took off his cap, passing a hand through his hair frustrated. Jihoon seemed to have given up at that letting out a long sigh as he put his head on Woojin’s shoulder.

 

“To make matters worse the final exam thing is still messed up… I wish there wasn’t any test to worry about.” he paused realizing just what he had said. “Oh, no~ No, Woojin! I take it back, I take-” But it was already too late and the last thing he saw was Woojin’s apologetic gaze.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry...SO SORRY! I had the biggest writer's block ever... ;A; I don't know if there is anyone following this, but if you still are THANK YOU SO MUCH~ I'll try to update the next chapter sooner~ ♡
> 
> Please comment to encourage me to keep going cause writing has been tough for me lately :/
> 
> Thanks to Lils, my queen, for beta-ing this~ i don't know how she puts up with me TT^TT

It was already morning although the sun hid in between the clouds as if the gloomy sky had forgot to announce the start of a new day. A cool breeze invaded the room through the open window, making a chill run down his back and snap him awake.

 

Opening his eyes in a flash, he looked outside the window and saw the little specks of white flake frost falling from the dark sky. No wonder he felt this cold. _It’s snowing!_ His flimsy cotton pajamas were not made for this weather. _But... it’s way too soon for winter! What the hell_ _?_

 

Rolled up in his comforter  he tiptoed to the gaping window to close it just as a chilling gust of wind made the temperature in his already cold room even colder than before. Why was the climate this wacko? This weather didn’t make any sense.

 

Then again, had anything made sense since he met Woojin? With an unwilling smile on his face, he let his mind dwell in thoughts of the cute demon boy.

 

What would be in store for him today now that he’d spoiled his second wish with his big fat mouth?

 

Well, whatever it was - he better make the most of it. Giving up on this was not an option. He would study and ace that damned test! And, of course, this time around he would make it to the test on time too -

 

But more importantly, he hoped beyond anything else that his wish changed more than just the weather today.

 

Jinyoung should be back to his healthy albeit snarky self too.

 

He turned to look at the bed behind him, extremely inviting, but choosing to avoid the tempting call of warmth he went instead to his closet to grab some comfy winter clothes before entering the bathroom to take a hot shower and warm his body up. The temperature and pressure of the water was at just the right level to instantly relax the sore muscles on his back.

 

Although he wished he could stay inside longer, he was a man on a mission. He quickly dried himself off and put on another of his famous oversized sweaters, this one made of soft wool in a cerulean blue that paired well with the grey sweats he’d be wearing today. With one final check in the mirror, he gave himself a quick nod.

 

Park Jihoon, brave and ready for this new day.

 

He grabbed his cell phone and checked for messages. His parents appear to have left  the house at dawn and would be out the whole weekend on a business trip. He was about to tuck his phone back into his pocket since there was nothing else of interest when a text popped up -

 

**From: Baejin**

**To: Winkingie**

 

Hyung, our exams got cancelled YAY :))

Check the news on tv~

 

Ah, Jinyoung.

 

Thank God the brat is alive and well.

 

Jihoon let out a huge breath as relief engulfed him. But it was short-lived as another emotion, as strong as the first one, flooded his heart: guilt. Guilt for being responsible for inflicting pain on friends he loves dearly. He regretted agreeing with the wish contract now. It was never supposed to hurt anyone, just to ease his own life. Selfish, he knows.  He just hoped nobody got hurt because of his wish this time around. He shook his head trying to get that gloomy thoughts out of his mind.

 

After a quick moment spared to turn on the T.V. in the living room, he dived straight into the kitchen. He was starved. The light buzz of the morning anchor’s voice let him know the news was on…and in front of him in the fridge is one solitary apple.

 

Sad, but it would have to do.

 

He took a bite into the fruit, making his way back into the living room to pick up the remote and turn up the volume on the T.V. just in time for the weatherwoman..

 

“A sudden cold front is coming towards Seoul and taking meteorologists by surprise. An early winter is being predicted with heavy snowfall expected to continue from this morning into the coming hours. All public transportation has been canceled until further notice due to dangerous conditions and icy roads. The police have recommend people not leave their houses until the weather calms down…” The woman kept talking but Jihoon tuned out from what she was saying, completely floored by the situation he created.

 

WINTER!?

 

They’re still in November. November isn’t supposed to have this sort of weather. Heavy snow is reserved for after at least mid January! Did he mess up the damn weather now? A WHOLE SNOWSTORM!

 

He let his body fall into the couch, completely stunned. Somehow he felt powerful but  simultaneously fearful of his own unpredictable power… or would it be Woojin’s power?

 

_Snap!_

 

Jihoon heard the sound followed by the carefree and familiar voice of his favorite demon,“Wassup~”, came the lazy low greeting as Woojin casually invaded his personal space grabbing the half-eaten apple. Biting into the fruit, the little devil hummed in approval before throwing himself on the sofa like he owned the place, like the spot beside Jihoon was his to take. Distracting as usual.  

 

“What are you doing?” Jihoon spluttered, turning to face the damn thief, still perplexed by his daring move  – or maybe it might just be Woojin’s close proximity that had him feeling flustered. He must have gotten tired of having to pretend to not be bothered because it definitely showed all over his pink face.

 

“Making myself comfortable? I intend to be around just in case you fuck it up again.” Woojin mumbled chewing the apple till juice, dripped down the corner of the mouth, was swiftly cleaned with the back of his hand. He wondered why Jihoon had that weird look on his face - but thought better than to question it and irritate him.

 

“Eww. Manners, you demon. I thought you said it wasn’t my fault?” Jihoon flinched in disgust, questioning Woojin with one raised eyebrow. _The gall of this devil, comforting me only to tell me i’ll fuck it up anyways,_ he thought indignant. _He is a pig. Just forget he looks hot and you’re good._

 

“Figure of speech, babe. Don’t mind me.” Woojin said from his side, looking at the TV like the news was much more interesting than whatever nonsense Jihoon was spluttering in his direction this time.

 

“Babe? BABE?” Jihoon asked, baffled at the endearment slipping from the devil’s lips. He was trying to avoid giving Woojin any attention - but with those words, his heart has decided to flip around like a dead fish in his chest. _Can you not, Park Woojin? I’m trying to look aloof here! You can’t just come and say THAT to my face._

 

“Huh, yeah?” Woojin mumbled, demon eyes easily averting Jihoon’s insistent gaze that demanded the definition to ‘Babe’.

 

“I hadn’t realized we were in the pet names stage already…” Jihoon told him flatly bumping their shoulders in a somewhat shy manner making the redheaded finally look at him with questioning eyes.

 

“Eh...I’m sorry. I didn’t even notice.” Woojin replied shocked, eyes wide and shaking his head with vehemence as the notion sank in. He really didn’t notice the slip and was terrified that could make things with Jihoon weird.

 

“It’s ok. I...I liked it.” Jihoon mumbled as he noticed the other panicking. Maybe this cool act could wait a bit. He gave Woojin a small smile, patting his forearm while his eyes searched the demon’s for reassurance. _It’s not weird to give nicknames, right? Right._

 

“O-okay. So I can call you babe from now on?” Woojin let out a breath, a teasing laugh covering the sigh of relief as he did his best to distract himself from the incessant pounding in his ribcage.

 

“Don’t push it, Wooj.” Despite his own words, Jihoon jokingly pushed him off the couch making the demon fall flat on the floor, prompting a fit of giggles from the human.

 

“Wooj?” intrigued, Woojin rolled on his back so he could look at Jihoon from the ground and  arch a brow questioningly.

 

“You got a problem with that?” Jihoon answered with his arms crossed, staring at the other defiant and daring the redhead to say anything about his new nickname. He wasn’t expecting to be called out on that. His defensive response was automatic.

 

“Not at all, Hoonie.” Woojin’s cocky grin was blinding, the snaggletooth peeking from the corner of his lips, teasing lilting off his words heavily.

 

Jihoon squeezed his eyes together to which Woojin just chuckled at his adorable scrunched up face, reaching out to mess his locks up fondly. With a big sigh, he stood up to throw out what was left of the apple and looked at his human friend with hesitation in his gaze.

 

“So what now? No test, no worries...right?” He asked tentatively, trailing towards the other boy, only stopping when he was right in front of Jihoon. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, an act of giddiness that seemed foreign to the human as Woojin was not this jumpy.

 

“Ha! I don’t know, Woojin….Maybe I should study some more.” Jihoon said scratching the back of his neck unsure of the demon’s intentions. He really didn’t plan that much ahead. He was still figuring out what the effects of his wish would be.

 

“When was the last time you had some fun? You’re such a party pooper.” Woojin pouted, hunching his back in discontentment with Jihoon’s goody-two-shoes ways. Couldn’t he at least once enjoy his life for a change?

 

“What do you mean!? I’m the life of the party! Wohoo~” Jihoon snorted, rolling his eyes as he’s pulled up from the couch to stand in front of the smirking devil.

 

“Sure you are. Let’s go play in snow then, party boy.” Woojin grabbed Jihoon by his hand pulling him towards the front door with a huge grin plastered on his face.

 

“What are you, 5?” protested Jihoon as a wave of fondness overtook him when he looked at how much joy Woojin felt at the idea of simply playing in the snow. He truly was a one of a kind demon.

 

“Excuse you, but unlike your ungrateful ass, I have never seen snow up close. I deserve this.” Turning to Jihoon and sticking his tongue out, Woojin marched pulling the still resistant and stubborn boy outside of the house.

 

He had waited his whole life for this moment...and he wanted to cherish it with Jihoon. “Alright, alright. I’ll babysit you, you big baby.” It didn’t make sense to oppose Woojin anyways - besides he does enjoy the idea of being able to watch Woojin be cheerful and carefree from up close. Seeing Woojin’s joyful smile warmed something inside Jihoon and elicited a smile on his face too.

 

Jihoon grabbed a black coat off the coat rack by the door and quickly put on his matching pink beanie and gloves, readying himself for the unpredictable weather. He then realized Woojin might get cold too, so he grabbed an extra coat and turned around just to see Woojin was already ready in all black winter gear, grinning stupidly at his offer. _Stupid demon powers,_ he clucked his tongue as he put away the coat.

 

The air was chilly, the wind whipping on their faces as soon as they opened the door evoking a shiver from Jihoon that didn’t go unnoticed by Woojin who took off his black scarf and wrapped it around Jihoon’s neck. Flustered, Jihoon flushed pink just by watching how attentive and considerate Woojin always was of him. It made it almost impossible for him to be impassive.

 

“You ok? You look kind of red...” Woojin asked, adjusting his fringe on his beanie so it covered his small and cute horns.

 

“It’s just the cold.” muttered Jihoon hiding his face behind the scarf, suddenly self-conscious of how even the smallest of actions from the demon affected him. This was getting ridiculous, not to mention embarrassing, at this point. “So here we are. Your first snow. Is it everything you expected?”  Jihoon said showing Woojin around the endless carpet of white, snow covering the tree tops and the house ceiling, as small flakes fell slowly from the sky.

 

Woojin walked out of the porch and straight into the falling snow, opening his arms and closing his eyes to feel the snowflakes on his face. It was an exquisite scene and Jihoon was mesmerized by the beauty of it. He wished he had a camera so he could snap a pic, but didn’t voice it out loud, thanking the heavens for not letting it slip past his lips, or there would go another wish to waste.

 

Jihoon just observed in wonder the emotions flashing on Woojin’s face like an open book: amazement, surprise, excitement − a bundle of emotions that if Jihoon weren’t paying attention he would have missed all the micro-reactions Woojin’s expressive eyes displayed openly.

 

Suddenly, Woojin started giggling, like a child on Christmas morning with his eyes disappearing into pretty half-moons. “Isn’t this amazing, Jihoonie?” asked Woojin, turning his head to see Jihoon, leaning against the pillar, watching him with indescribable look on his eyes and a small grin.

 

“It’s just snow. How come you’ve never seen snow before? Isn’t there a whole circle in hell that’s frozen or something?”

 

“Yeah, 9th Circle: Treachery. The BOSS doesn’t really have many happy memories from there so I was never allowed near the area. The furthest I was allowed to go was to the Limbo. To be honest I don’t think it would be a good place for an enjoyable ice skating ride anyways.” Woojin stuffed his hands in his pockets to get a bit more of warmth. For all it’s prettiness, the biting cold wasn’t something he would go through without some purpose, and he was still waiting for Jihoon to get off the porch and join him.

 

“What about Earth? With your powers you could go anywhere you want, anytime.” commented the human, descending the steps to go to the waiting demon.

 

“That is not how it works. It’s not everything in a snap-of-my-fingers, Jihoon-”

 

“Hah! The irony.”

 

Woojin shook his head, making a face at being cut off by Jihoon’s cheeky remark but continuing to talk as if there was no interruption at all, “-and me being on Earth is a recent development. I haven’t been around much.” concluded the demon shrugging. He wanted to explore, but his time and powers were limited, despite what Jihoon thought. He was far from being high and mighty.

 

“So the ‘Boss’ is an overprotective parent? Who would have imagined you were a coddled kid?” provoked Jihoon, jabbing his chest playfully. The reaction he got from the demon wasn’t what he expected. Woojin’s aura visibly darkened and his countenance closed off.

 

“I wouldn’t really say coddled. More like held captive.” mumbled Woojin, bitterly as he caressed the place Jihoon poked. He could feel the weight of Jihoon’s inquisitive gaze but he didn’t want to go there. This was supposed to be a fun snow day. “So... do you wanna build a snowman?”

 

Jihoon sensed some of the unsettling demeanor from the demon and decided not to push. If Woojin wanted to share anything with him, it would be on his terms.  Jihoon wouldn’t force Woojin to trust him. That’s not how friendship worked. _Friends? Was that really what they were?_ This was an unexpected outcome. They’d met for just a couple of days so he wasn’t quite sure when it happened - time and space were a weird concept lately − and yet the connection he felt to Woojin ran as deep as any of the ones he had built with his friends.

 

Or maybe even deeper.

 

“Sure, Elsa. Let’s build our Olaf.” Jihoon said lightly just getting a strange look from the demon in answer. They squatted near the porch, collecting snow in a ball for their snowman. It took a lot more time than they thought it would. _It definitely isn’t as easy as in Frozen._

 

They finally managed to stack their snowballs and were in the process of decorating its face with peebles and seeds. Woojin grabbed two branches and put them in the place of the arms. Jihoon then took a smaller branch, broke it in half, and placed them on top of the snowman's head like little prongs turning up.

 

“Look! It’s you, Woojin.” Jihoon said with a goofy smile pointing at the snowman. “Oh, wait! Now it’s perfect.” giggled the human as he put the final piece, a little triangular shaped rock  on the snowman’s mouth.

 

The devil just stared at the boy and their creation fondly before a glint of mischief sparkled in his eyes. “A real work of art. Have you considered being an ice sculptor perhaps?” he commented as he sneakily grabbed a bunch of snow on his cupping hand, squeezing it behind his back.

 

“I do have what it takes to make it, don’t I?” Jihoon turned to face the demon, his face splitting in a wide grin, jutting his chin proudly at his work of art.

 

“Oh, yeah...there’s just a little something missing.” Woojin answered non-committedly, playing with the snowball behind his back before throwing it at the back of the Jihoon’s head. “He scores!” Woojin yelled as he pumped his fist in the air, laughing like a maniac.

 

Near the snowman, an outraged Jihoon got off balance from his crouched position and had to use his hands to prevent a fall, mouth forming a perfect “O” in complete shock  “Oh, no, you didn’t-” another snowball fled towards him, now right at his face. “You little shit!” Jihoon yelped more than glad to return the favor by throwing as many snowballs as he could at Woojin in a short span of time.

 

_Oh, this will be good!_

 

Woojin could have sworn he saw smoke coming from Jihoon’s ears and nose and that thought made him cackle even louder as he tried to dodge the throws from the angered boy. Soon, the two were tossing snowballs back and forth in an all out battle, laughter ringing loudly in the frontyard.

 

Jihoon, already utterly exhausted, ducked to escape from a particularly well-aimed snowball, sliding on ice and falling backwards. He landed in a cold pile of snow, laughter erupting from his lips heartily.

 

"Are you okay?" Woojin asked sliding towards him over a thick layer of ice under the white blanket of snow. Seeing Woojin attempting to keep his balance only made Jihoon laugh harder. For a moment the boy focused on the blatant concern present in the demon’s features and in how it made his heart speed up.

 

"Yeah," Jihoon said quieter than he meant to, "I'm fine." He needed a distraction from his own tumultuous feelings. Woojin took his left hand in his as if to help him up, but seeing his hazel eyes filled with concern, Jihoon made a split-second decision. With his free hand, he grabbed Woojin by his collar and pulled him to the ground, making him fall too, but he miscalculated his own strength and the demon ended up falling on top of him.

 

“Now we’re even? Haha...”  Jihoon laughed it off disconcerted . _OOF! This was so not how this was supposed to go!_ He just hoped Woojin wouldn’t notice the flush that was quickly spreading from his neck to his cheeks.

 

Jihoon felt trapped under the weight of Woojin’s gaze, his eyes shifting back and forth, darting from Woojin’s eyes to his mouth, which honestly wasn’t an improvement at all, only managing to make him blush harder.

 

“You must be cold again.” Woojin breathed lowly, little puffs of air caressing Jihoon’s skin, making the boy realize just how close they really were. If Woojin didn’t notice the hammering heartbeats it was probably due the thick layers of clothes.

 

“N-no. I’m completely fine.” babbled Jihoon, dying inside, but keeping a straight face to try to save a little bit of his dignity. _Fine_ was probably the understatement of the year. It couldn’t possibly be further from the truth, but Jihoon prided himself of his poker face, and what better time to put it to use then now?

 

Woojin shifted over him, but instead of standing up he just rolled to his side, sprawling his limbs on the white snow. Jihoon spied on him with the corner of his eyes as the demon started to move his arms and legs up and down successively as a snow angel came to life.

 

“This is the closest I’ll ever be to one.” Woojin sighed, voice disheartened as his glossy eyes focused on the cloudy pattern that painted the sky grey.

 

“Huh?” Jihoon wasn’t as quick as the last time to follow the sudden shift of mood from the devil.

 

“My whole life I wished my mother looked after me, but I ended up being raised by my father. And of course I had to take after him too.” Woojin’s hands reached out subconsciously for his necklace, but when he noticed what he was doing he retreated just as quick.

 

“You’re nothing like HIM...I mean-I mean….I don’t know HIM, but you’re certainly nothing like we envision demons to be, Woojin. You’re more like...more  like -”, Jihoon tried in vain to search for words to explain his views, but came up short. “Wait…is your mom an-”

 

“-angel? Yes.” Woojin confirmed, eyes still glued to the sky above.

 

“Woah...woah. And here I thought I couldn’t get more surprised than when you told me you’re Satan’s son. Where is she?” Jihoon was sudden floored by the realization of Woojin’s origin. His life was like some fantasy drama. Only it was real and his suffering was so palpable it hurt Jihoon as well.

 

“Somewhere in heaven. I don’t know. I’m not allowed to go there, or allowed to see her for that matter. See? Captive!” With a hollow chuckle, Woojin looked at Jihoon with empty eyes that screamed hopelessness.

 

That made something inside Jihoon boil.  “Why can’t she come to see you then?” Jihoon asked in a tone unintentionally accusatory. Woojin didn’t deserve this solitude. He deserved all things good to happen to him. Why would a mother not take her son? _This is unacceptable!_

 

“One of the great mysteries of the world. I don’t know, Jihoon. I guess she just doesn’t want to be associated with a demon.” confessed Woojin sitting up and deflating like a balloon. He didn’t like to reminisce the past. It was just an open wound… he wanted so many times to search for a plausible reason as to why he was unwanted by his own mother, and it always just served to make him sad about himself, his situation, his fate.

 

Jihoon felt an immense urge to approach the slouched form that in no way resembled the boisterous demon he once knew. He made a move to hug Woojin when their gloomy silence was broken by heavy footsteps and a melodious voice he knew all too well.

 

“Oy, Jihoonie! I figured you wouldn’t go to school in this weather-“

 

“Minhyun hyung?” Jihoon craned his neck till it was uncomfortable to be able to see the two tall modelesque figures standing in the sidewalk with a take-out box in their hands, both handsome by themselves but even more so when they were together.

 

OngHwang, the couple of the year.

 

“Have you eaten your breakfast yet?” Seongwoo shot him, with a grin and a wave. “Oy, Woojinie! Long time no see.”

 

“What are you doing here?”

 

“Do you know him?”

 

Woojin and Jihoon asked at the same time befuddled.

 

Woojin couldn’t believe his manager came to check on the soul progress, much less that he would bring his perfect angel boyfriend that happens to also be Jihoon’s crush. What the heck was he thinking? The talk he had with his father was still replaying in his mind, giving him chills that had nothing to do with the cold snow below him.

 

Jihoon couldn’t believe Woojin knew the others at all. How did he, a demon, even know his friends? Did he offer them wishes too? Are they all damned to go to Hell? Can he wish to save their souls? Wow, his head was spinning. This was too much too soon. What was even going on?

 

“We just came from the cafe with pastries and some coffee. Do you and your friend want some?” Minhyun offered with a smile. Seongwoo just chuckled good heartedly in response to the bafflement on the duo still sitting in the snow, and showed the box on his hands with a sly grin. “Won’t you invite us in, Jihoon?”

 

The demon and the human looked at each other wide eyed, Jihoon tried to engage in a silent conversation but Woojin just avoided him, shaking his head, like that wasn’t the time and place for him to explain anything to him. Jihoon understood the message and decided to go with the flow, nodding at the older couple. Woojin stood up but kept his silence, seemingly still in shock.

 

“Sure, hyungs. We were about to go in anyways. We would love some breakfast, right, Woojinie?” Jihoon tried to make the other stop gaping at the couple by kicking his leg while signaling for Woojin to help him stand which the other did shortly after, getting out of his stupor in a heartbeat.

 

They didn’t know what the couple wanted, but it wasn’t just a friendly breakfast invitation. They came with an intent. But what was it? Woojin squeezed Jihoon’s hand and Jihoon’s squeezed his in return. They were together in this, whatever _this_ was.

 

Hand in hand, they entered the house followed by the couple that giggled by themselves, lost in their own world and stupidly in love with each other.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to my two(or would it be four?) extra brain cells @brownrice and @traum95 for adding fuel to my fire.
> 
> And a special thanks to @LillithEvans for beta-ing my fic! ❤❤❤
> 
> Comments and feedback are always appreciated~ ^^
> 
> You can come say hi to me on Twitter: [@jessunnie88](https://twitter.com/jessunnie88)


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